| John Stevens | |
| Fullname: | John Wise Stevens |
| Birth Date: | 1828 |
| Birth Place: | England |
| Death Date: | 27 March |
| Death Place: | Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Club2: | Canterbury |
| Year2: | 1863-64 to 1865-66 |
| Columns: | 1 |
| Column1: | First-class |
| Matches1: | 3 |
| Runs1: | 29 |
| Bat Avg1: | 5.80 |
| 100S/50S1: | 0/0 |
| Top Score1: | 12 |
| Deliveries1: | 392 |
| Wickets1: | 12 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 7.83 |
| Fivefor1: | 1 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 5/17 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 0/0 |
| Date: | 26 October 2020 |
| Source: | http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/38561.html Cricinfo |
John Wise Stevens (1828 - 27 March 1873) was a New Zealand cricketer. He played in three first-class matches for Canterbury from 1864 to 1866.[1] [2]
Stevens had been a farm labourer in Shropshire, but in Christchurch in the 1860s he was a professional cricketer.[3] In the 1863-64 season he bowled to members of the Canterbury Cricket Club at Hagley Park for three shillings an hour.[4]
He took the first wicket in New Zealand first-class cricket. Opening the bowling for Canterbury against Otago in January 1864, he had Charles Morris caught by Arthur Powys for 1.[5] [6] [7] Against Otago the next season he took 2 for 23 and 5 for 17 to help Canterbury to their first first-class victory.[8]
Stevens was born in England. He married Mary Tenterden Abbott in Horsmonden, Kent, in 1850.[9] They arrived in Christchurch in 1862 with their two children.[10] Mary died in Christchurch in October 1865.[11]
In March 1873 Stevens was working as a miner in the railway tunnel between Christchurch and Lyttelton when he was killed by a train. He had been assigned nightwatchman duties, but fell asleep on the line and died instantly when the passing train struck him.[12] A special train took his body from Lyttelton to Christchurch for the funeral; the flags at the Port of Lyttelton flew at half-mast as a sign of respect.[13]